Automatic hugger.



No. 351,124. PATENTED APR'. 2s, 1am.

P. H. PLATEAU. AUTOMATIC HUGGBR.

APPLIOATION FILED AUGA, 190'6.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

FAUL I-IENRI FLATEAU, PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SOCIETE UNIVERSELLE DELASSERVISSEUR AUTOMATIQUE TITAN, CF

PARIS, FRANCE.

lNo. 851,124.

AUTOMATIC HUGGER.

)ratented April 23, 190'?.

Application 'Sled August 4,1906. Serial- No.. 329.227.

To LZ/f whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL HENRI FLATEA'U, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, residing at Paris, 3l rue Le Peletier, in the Republic ofFrance, banker, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in aNew .Mechanical Member or Element called an Automatic Hugger and theApplication of the said Member or Element, of which the following is aspecification.

The new mechanical member termed an automatic hugger, the subject of theFrench Patent No. 322,017, of January 1.1, 1902,

.consists of a metal coil or helix having tapering convolutions designedto surround a drum and is closed down on the drum by means of a springunder tension in such a manner that when the helix is turned by pullingon one of its ends it closes automatically on the drum and closely hugsit and causes the drum to revolve with it.

This invention relates .to an automatic hugger, which may be used oneither one or two drums to prevent shocks caused by the violentreversals of the handle for starting explosive engines.

.Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents a side elevation ot'one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of amodi'lied form Fig. 3 represents an end view of another form; and Fig. 4represents a top plan view of a portion of the helix shown in Fig. 3.

In the iorm shown in Fig. l, one part A of the helix is arranged on adrum T movable around its axis t, tand the other part A on a iixed drumT. The end or arm C of the part A is extended longitudinallyT oi' thedrum T and is connected with. the end A2 of the part A by a coil springR. When the helix is drawn in the direction of the arrow Y by means of apull on its arm C it will Y closely hug the drum T and cause it to turnwith it. The friction of the convolutions of the part A on the iixeddrum T produces a retarding etTect, -which consists in closing theconvolutions of the part A on the drum T.

If the drum T is turned in the direction ot the arrow S by means oipower applied to the arm C oi' the helix in the same direction, andshould the resistance opposed to the rotation of the drum T increase soas 'to cause a backward turning ci" the drum, the

helix instead of following the drum in its rotary movement in thedirection of the arrow S will cease to hug the drum and permit it toturn independently thereof. AAt the beginning of the movement of thedrum T in the direction of the arrow S, the helix will turn with it, butinstead of the friction of the convolutions of part A on the 'fixed drumT being added to the action of the part A, it will counteract the sameas it will be in a direction opposite to the pull of the helix and causethe helix to open and permit the drum T to turn independently.

In the form shown in Fig. 2, a result similar to that described above isobtained by employing two separate members B and B on the two drums andconnecting the terminal B2 of the smaller or weaker portion of themember B to theterminal B4 of the larger or stronger coil of the memberB by a pivot B5. In this form, the member B on the iixed drum T will notoiler any material resistance to the normal motion of' the drum T in thedirection of the arrow S', the member B being caused to move in thedirection of the arrow S by means of a pull on its larger or strong endB4, which is inverse to the direction in which the helix is wound.Willen the member B is caused to turn in the direction of the arrow Sunder the in'liuence of the drum T, the member B moves in the directionin which its convolutions are wound and closes down on the drum T andopposes in resistance having a tendency to counteract 'the tension ofthe spring R and hence releases the member B from the drum T and thedrum will continue its backward movement independently. The ends C3 andC4 of the helix shown in Fig. 2 are connected by means of the springs Rand R, which are secured respectively to said ends C3 and C4 and totheconnected arms B2 and B4.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3, 4, the helix is made in the formof a chain composed of links e, e', e2, e3, c4, etc., which iit aroundthe drum T and vary in number and thickness from one end to the other ofthe chain according to the resistance desired at the several points ofthe helix. This form is designed to be used in apparatus which requiresa certain amount of precision and a great deal of sensitiveness. Thechain being articulated is'more flexible than the coiled IOO rod andwill lit very exactly on the drum and under a very slight tension of thespring R and this articulated helix may be applied in the same manner asthat shown in Figs. l or 2.

The above described embodiments in which two drums are used, one ofwhich is xed and the other movable, may be employed in all cases wherethe helix is used for carrying forward another member and where it isdesired to avoid accidents arising from an untimely reversal of thedrive caused by either an increase in resistance or by a decrease in thedrive.

l claim as my invention:

l. The combination of a iixed drum, a movable drum, a helix wound partlyon one drum and partly on the other, and spring means for connecting theends of said helix.

2. The combination of a iixed drum, a movable drum, a helix formed of aplurality of members connected together, and spring means connecting itsopposite ends.

3. The combination of a iixed drum, a movable drum, a helix composed oftwo coiled members, one wound on one drum and one on the other, the weakend of one coil being connected with the strong end of the other andspring means connecting the Jfree ends of said coils.

4. The combination of a xed drum, a movable drum, a helix composed oftwo coiled members, one wound in one direction on one drum and the otherwound in the other direction on the other drum, the weak end of one coilbeing connected with the strong end of the other, and spring meansconnecting the free ends of said coils. A

5. The combination of a fixed drum, a movable drum, a helix adapted tobe wound partly on one drum and partly on the other and composed ofconnected members and spring means for connecting the ends of saidhelix.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, l have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL HENRI FLATEAU.

Witnesses MAURICE Roux, HANSON C. CoxE.

